Lubricating compound



Patented Nov. 21, 1950 LUBRICA'BING COMPOUND Sidney Blooment'hal', Chicago, and Fredric E. Wood, McHenry, 111., assignors to Automatic Electric Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, 111., a cornotation of Delaware No Drawing. Application October 8, 1948, Serial No. 53,594

Claims.

Our invention relates generally to an improved lubricating compound and more specifically to a lubricant which is especially adapted for use on the bearings of the calling device or dial of an automatic telephone.

Telephone dials are subjected to a wide range of temperature in their use in different locations and must not become sticky under any conditions. Certain of the gears and bearings in such dials are of brass and others of steel so that lubrication and prevention of corrosion are of prime importance.

The improved compound which we have developed for this purpose consists of 30% of a plastic petroleum such as that sold by the Gulf Oil Company as Plastic Petroleum B, of rust proofing oil such as Ensis N0. 211 sold by the Shell Oil Company, and 55% of dibutyl phthalate.

The first component may be of the type described in U. S. Patent No. 2,320,002, granted May 25, 1943 and provides the lubricating qualities at a wide range of temperatures, and remains on the gears and bearings of the device after more volatile components disappear to provide a low coeflicient of friction between moving parts even at low temperatures.

The plastic petroleum consists essentially of a mixture of a petroleum lubricating oil with a wax having a wax melting point above about 150 F. and having incorporated therein an amount of aluminum soap such that the ratio of soap to wax is of the order of 1:15.

The second component is a rust preventer and prevents oxygen from attacking the metallic surfaces on which it is present. One such component is described in U. S. Patent No. 2,334,158, granted November 9, 1943.

The rust preventer consists essentially of non gaseous hydrocarbons containing small amounts of a polycarboxylic acid having at least 16 carbon atoms and of a mutual solvent for hydrocarbons and water, such as an ethylene glycol mono alkyl ether.

The third component is a low volatility solvent for the plastic petroleum and remains liquid by itself to a temperature of -96 F. The presence of this component in the compound aids in the capillary fiow oi the compound into a bearing when applied to the outside edge thereof. The contact angle on steel for dibutyl phthalate is 0 and for brass is 35. The compound consequently tends to spread rapidly on steel and stops when it reaches brass. This quality tends to maintain the compound within a bearing when the adjacent parts are of brass.

While we have described the compound as consisting of certain definite proportions of the various elements, it will be apparent that such proportions may be varied slightly if desired. For instance a slight increase in the amount of dibutyl phthalate reduces the viscosity of the combination and improves the rate of flow during application, while an increase in the amount of the rust inhibitor may give added protection under conditions where severe humidity is encountered.

It will thus be apparent that we have provided a novel lubricating compound which has all the qualities desired for a mechanism which is subjected to wide ranges of temperature and humidity.

What we claim is:

1. A lubricating compound comprising approximately 30% of a mixture of a petroleum lubricating oil with a wax having a wax melting point above about F. and having incorporated therein an amount of aluminum soap such that the ratio of soap to wax is of the order of 1:15; 15% of a mixture of non-gaseous hydrocarbons containing small amounts of a poly carboxylic acid having at least 15 carbon atoms, and of a mutual solvent for hydrocarbons and water; and 55% of ditbuyl phthalate.

2. A lubricant comprising in combination a plastic petroleum consisting of a mixture of a petroleum lubricating oil, a wax having a wax melting point above about 150 F., and an aluminum soap, the soap to wax ratio being of the order of 1:15; a rust preventer consisting of a mixture of non-gaseous hydrocarbons containing small amounts of a poly carboxylic acid having at least 16 carbon atoms and a mutual solvent for hydrocarbons and water; and at least 50% of dibutyl phthalate.

3. A lubricating mixture comprising in combination about 30% of a plastic petroleum consisting of a mixture of a petroleum lubricating oil, a Wax having a wax melting point above about 150 F., and an aluminum soap, the soap to wax ratio being of the order of 1:15; at least 50% of a low volatility petroleum solvent; and a rust preventer consisting of a mixture of non-gaseous hydrocarbons containing small amounts of a polycarboxylic acid having at least 16 carbon atoms and a mutual solvent for hydrocarbons and water.

4. A rust proofing lubricant which flows more rapidly on steel than on brass comprising at least 50% of dibutyl phthalate, a small amount of a rust preventer consisting of a mixture of non-gaseous hydrocarbons containing small amounts of a polycarboxylic acid having at least 16 carbon atoms and a mutual solvent for bydrocarbons and water; and a larger amount of a plastic petroleum consisting of a mixture of a petroleum lubricating oil, a wax having a wax melting point above about 150 F., and an aluminum soap, the soap to wax ratio being of the order of 1:15.

5. A lubricant comprising in combination a 10 about 150 R, an aluminum soap, the wax to soap 15 ratio being about 15:1, and about 50% dibutyl phthalate.

SIDNEY BLOOMENTHAL. FREDRIC E. WOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,396,191 Morgan Mar. 5, 1946 2,362,767 Morgan Nov. 14, 1944 2,334,158 Fuchs Nov. 9, 1943 2,320,002 Lutz May 25, 1943 2,215,590 Maverick Sept. 24, 1940 2,104,408 Wiezevich -4 Jan. 4, 1938 

1. A LUBRICATING COMPOUND COMPRISING APPROXIMATELY 30% OF A MIXTURE OF A PETROLEUM LUBRICATING OIL WITH A WAX HAVING A WAX MELTING POINT ABOVE ABOUT 150*F. AND HAVING NCORPORATED THEREIN AN AMOUNT OF ALUMINUM SOAP SUCH THAT THE RATIO OF SOAP TO WAX IS OF THE ORDER OF 1:15; 15% OF A MIXTURE OF NON-GASEOUS HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING SMALL AMOUNTS OF A POLY CARBOXYLIC ACID HAVING AT LEAST 16 CARBON ATOMS, AND OF A MUTUAL SOLVENT FOR HYDROCARBONS AND WATER; AND 55% OF DIBUTYL. 